A Bride for Hannigan

By Mary L. Briggs

Penny Caldwell’s sister, Kara, left on a train to meet her groom almost three months ago. And no one has heard from her since. Penny knows there is something wrong, else Kara would have written. There is nothing left to do but go and find Kara, herself. And maybe find her own adventure on the way.

Shep Hannigan is ready to leave his wagon delivery job behind and run the ranch he shares with his father and uncle in Moon Creek, Montana. But when he meets Penny Caldwell, his thoughts turn to more than ranching.

Penny has always had her sister to depend on when things in her life got rough. On her own, she feels lost, but determined to find her sister. Will the handsome Shep Hannigan be the one she can turn to?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mary L. Briggs
• Release date: Nov 15, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463344316

Mary L. Briggs

Mary L. Briggs is a wife, mother, and registered nurse. She enjoys writing inspirational fiction and is also a free-lance writer. She has had two romance stories and one mini-mystery published in Woman's World Magazine. She enjoys reading, writing, studying American history, cooking, quilting, herb gardening, and crafting. Mary lives in a cordwood home in the Ouachita Mountains with her husband and two daughters. She also enjoys the company of five cats, a German Shepherd/Border Collie dog, and a flock of chickens.

Book preview

A Bride for Hannigan

By Mary L. Briggs

Smashwords Edition

COPYRIGHT © 2018 Mary L. Briggs

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. It may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com to purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Moon Creek, Montana

Chapter 1

Hurry, Kara, the train will be coming in to the station in less than half an hour!

Penny Caldwell shook her head. All her sister had done for the past few weeks was talk about her upcoming marriage. She had seemed excited to go out west and meet the man she had been writing to for the last six months. But now that the day was here, she was dragging her feet as if she had stepped in a pool of molasses.

I’m coming, Penny, her tall, beautiful sister insisted. I’m just checking to make sure I have everything I want packed.

The time for packing was past, Penny thought to herself. They were going to have to set a fast pace to make it to the train station on time. You have your clothes and shoes waiting in the trunk at the station. Your bag that you are carrying should be enough to see you through. If Mr. Crosby has a mercantile, there should be any supplies there that you need, she said as firmly as possible. She, herself, was on the verge of tears. She had never known life without her sister. How would she make it through the coming months?

Kara, looking very pretty, stood in front of the old cracked bureau mirror in their boarding house room and checked her blond hair, pulled behind her head in a sensible bun. She then rearranged the striking pink straw hat and repined the back. Traveling was always hard on a woman’s hair. I’m ready, Penny. Let’s go. Despite her nervousness, her dark blue eyes shone with excitement.

Good. The carriage is waiting, Penny said, grabbing Kara by the elbow and leading her to the door and down the stairs.

***

Penny stared down the train tracks until there was no more of the train visible. But when the dust left behind had finally cleared, a tear stained her cheek and she quickly brushed it away. She had promised Kara that she would not be sad, that she would carry on just as before. She would continue her job at Miss March’s Dress Shop until Kara sent her the money to come west. Mr. Crosby had promised that to her, once they were settled in their new home. He even had a job offer for Penny, or possibly the chance of a husband, once she was there. A comforting thought, as Penny was still undecided on becoming a mail order bride. The thought of marrying a man she’d never met did not appeal to her, no matter how wonderful he might sound in a letter.

It was then that she realized she was still holding the packet of Kara’s letters. Her sister would soon miss them, as they would have been good company for her on the train as she considered her new life she was about to begin. But there was no need to fret. Once Penny had her first letter from her sister, she could mail them out to her.

Chapter 2

Penny eagerly took the mail from the store clerk and hurried out of the mercantile, sweeping her blue calico skirts past the little boys on the wooden sidewalk intent on a game of marbles. She had done her shopping first, in hopes of hurrying back to work once she picked up a letter from Kara. Disappointment flowed through her with just one glance through the mail in her hand. Another week and no letter! She stuffed the papers into her basket. There was no time to fret; she had work to do.

Miss March would note the disappointment in her demeanor once she was back at work and comment to no end about Penny’s poor attitude. And the woman would be right. She finally must admit to herself that she was on the verge of panic. It had been two months since Kara had left for Colorado to meet her new husband to be. Two months and no word. It was not like Kara.

She remembered the night Kara had written her first letter in answer to an advertisement for mail order brides in the Kansas City Gazette. The two of them had looked at it as rather a joke. But then, Kara and Mr. Crosby had exchanged letters for more than three months, her sister becoming more intrigued with the man with every correspondence. After six months, he had sent a train ticket to her, inviting her to come to meet him in Denver and marry him.

Penny blinked back the rush of tears that threatened to fall down her cheeks. Something was wrong, she was sure of it. Kara was a kind and thoughtful person. She had been so excited the day she left, making sure she would look perfect for her new husband. Penny could still see her waving out the window of the train, her pink handkerchief blowing in the breeze. She had promised to write soon after arriving. No doubt, being a new bride and settling into marriage and helping her husband with his business was keeping her busy. Still, she would write if nothing was wrong.

Penny could see the door of the dress shop ahead. She still had four hours to work until closing. Maybe more if a new order came in this afternoon. Miss March did not mind keeping late hours. If only the day was finished and she could go home to the boarding house room that she and Kara had shared with each other for the last three years. Mrs. Burner’s comforting face would be there to greet her when she stepped inside of the house.

Mrs. Burner, owner of the boarding house, was a sweet, understanding woman and she had taken Kara and herself under her wing, so to speak, when they had moved in. Aware that the two of them had only each other, she had become the mother to them that they had lost several years ago. And Mrs. Burner was as worried as Penny about no letter from Kara.

***

Penny! There you are! Mrs. Burner’s voice greeted her as she pulled open the old screen door on the front entrance of the roomy boarding house.

Penny put on her best smile as she removed her rose crochet shawl and threw it across her arm. Putting her shopping basket on the small chair inside, she removed her sage colored straw hat and placed it securely on a shelf in the cabinet of the hallway. Each boarder had their own compartment in the tall cabinet. She gave a small fluff to her pretty blond hair and turned to face her friend.

Mrs. Burner was a tall woman; her steel gray hair, still showing a hint of brown, was pulled back in a prim, neat bun. Her green calico dress was covered by a white apron, a few dark spots on the front indicating that she had been making supper for the boarders. The smile on her still pretty face was expectant, but Penny could see a question in her dark blue eyes. So, she too, had feared there might be no letter.

Penny sighed and shook her head. Not today. But there is no need to worry. I’m sure there will be a letter next week. She spoke with

Reviews for A Bride for Hannigan

[benn9314 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A sweet snort story that explains how you can always overcome any problems